


Don't Cry Over Spilled Noodles (Or Do, No Judgment)

by author_abz



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, college age, otp au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 09:26:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4054897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/author_abz/pseuds/author_abz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where college-aged Lucas and Maya meet for the first time in a mall food court over some spilled noodles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Cry Over Spilled Noodles (Or Do, No Judgment)

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this first on Tumblr, because it was off of a little tumblr post with otp aus, and even though I didn't originally see Maya/Lucas in this scenario, I was brought around to it. Written for fun, this stupid little story, and here we are... :/
> 
> Original "prompt": ‘you found me in a mall crying over a bowl of noodles i dropped and i s2g im not usually like this im just having a really weird week’ au

Maya really hates the mall. She hates the mall a _lot_. The people who shop there are all preppy, speaking in high voices with their short skirts and bleach blonde hair; the boys with their overpowering Abercrombie cologne. She hates it, she hates the people who walk right up to you and ask you to try a sample, she hates the flashbacks to the terror of Black Friday shopping with Riley, and she hates feeling forced to spend money.

But the mall is where the art supply store is. It's new and tiny, so the owners can't really afford a standalone space. So she has to brave the mall for the special oils, charcoal, paper, and canvas she needs for her art classes. Even though her wallet is far too light, she's smiling walking away from the store - she flirted successfully with Jason the art supplies guru who gave her a discount, and she's more excited for her charcoal project than she thought she'd be - so she's going to stop at the food court for some delicious greasy food she tells Riley she doesn't eat.

After she eats an outrageously large cheeseburger and a milkshake, she arranges her supplies under her arm and sets off. There are a stream of people avoiding the main aisle between the food court tables, but she keeps going in that direction - out of laziness, out of interest, and due to the petty desire to make sure she doesn't do anything the 'popular' kids are doing. When she can actually see up the aisle, she sees the detour's actually caused by an attractive guy kneeling on the floor. There's an overturned bowl of noodles - which have spilled everywhere - in front of him.

She's confused, because he's not just _attractive_ , he's _Abercrombie_ hot, but he's wearing khaki pants and an ugly green uniform top, and... ' _Oh, god_ ,' Maya thinks _, 'he's crying! What could this guy possibly have to cry about? They're just noodles! He can buy more.'_

But something about the way he's holding a hand over his mouth and half-heartedly trying to clean up the spill with his other hand that makes Maya feel for him. Before she knows it, she's standing in front of him and his spilled noodles trying to figure out how to help him _and_ keep her art supplies clean before placing them on the table next to them.

"Oh, god - I'm sorry, I know this looks - I'm never like this usually, I just - this week has been the _worst_." He tells her animatedly when he notices her in front of him, putting his hands up defensively, not looking her in the eye.

"Hey, no judgment, it's no big deal - those are my favorite kind of noodles from that place too..."

"No - I never - I swear, it's," he lets out a huge exasperated sigh and rubs his hand over his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. "That was my meal voucher," he explains, his voice cracking as more tears escape, "and I haven't eaten all day, and I don't get paid for two weeks, so..." He takes a big shuddering breath and looks up at her then, and she's struck by the way his eyes invite her to mock him - he's waiting for her to say how pathetic he looks to lighten the mood, but she can't.

"Well, I guess I'm going to go and buy you another bowl."

"You can't - I can't let you-"

Maya stands again. "I understand. No hand-outs. But you're in luck, I have something you can do for me." She stops, enjoying the confused look crossing his face, then pulls him up, only to find he towers over her. "Are you on break or done at whatever horrible place makes you wear that shirt?" She points at his chest, wrinkling her nose.

He rolls his eyes, smiling briefly, trying to inconspicuously wipe his tears. "I'm done."

"Good." She scoops up her art supplies again and gestures toward Noodles & Company. "Come on. I'm buying you a giant bowl of noodles and I get a side of breadsticks."

"Sounds good." Maya can tell he's trying to stop his voice from being croaky from crying, but ignores it.

"Have you ever modeled or sat for a still life?" She asks, looking back just long enough to catch his eyebrows jump up to his hairline.

"Um, no."

"Good. I'm Maya, by the way."

"Lucas." They shake hands awkwardly standing in line for food, but by the time they leave for Maya's apartment, they're pushing each other playfully and laughing.

By the time Maya's done a few charcoal sketches, she's swearing up and down that this was an _assignment_ , she was supposed to sketch a stranger, it wasn't an elaborate plan to hit on him. Either way, it doesn't stop them from sleeping together.

**Author's Note:**

> In my head Maya and Lucas go to the same college but don't know it yet, and Lucas just moved and his job at a pet shop/supply store transferred, but they sell more iguanas and rats and dogs than any larger farm-like animals, which were his specialty, and basically Lucas was having a terrible, terrible week.


End file.
